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Saturday, August 1, 2015

Japan: First Few Days in Fussa

I flew in the late afternoon, early evening into Narita Airport outside of Tokyo. Ashley and her guys picked me up and we made the two hour and change drive back her home on Yokota Air Force Base. We chatted late into the night and watched Rocky Horror Picture Show then crashed. Early the next morning we decided to hit up the Aeon Mall and Daiso and Don Quijote. I think I gave the cashier at Daiso a workout. I may have bought about 50 items. In my defense it was the most amazing $1 store (100 Yen store) I have ever been inside of.

After strolling about the mall we found our way to Starbucks. Peach on Peach frappuccino was amazing. Yummy peaches and cream with chunks of peach and peach flavored gelatin.

Of course we had to go into Lush (we ended up checking out three Lushes by the time the trip was over and I managed to find something in each one). I loved the cute shapes the employees made out of the Fun.

Lunch was a bowl full of the most amazing Ramen ever. It was a little over $6 for this bowl of awesomeness. After chowing we walked next door to the Don Quijote and I bought a few things including this drink below which was really fun and delicious. The seeds cracked like kiwi seeds in my mouth and the gelatin was really soft and neat.

We wrapped up the evening by playing a board game. The next day we headed to the Hard Off thrift store where I found tons of Pokemon treasures and a bottle of Diptyque L'Ombre dans L'Eau for about $40 USD. Ashley found a cat toaster for only $5. How cute?!

We also went to the local outlet mall for the Pokemon store but it had closed. So I bought French macarons instead...

We ate Kappa Sushi for dinner the night before and lunch on the second day. I wasn't feeling so hot the night before so I didn't really get a chance to enjoy my meal. Ashley was happy to bring me back for lunch and a second try.

Shrimp, avocado, onion and mayo sushi... mmmmmmmm.... and fried octopus balls with a side of mayo and topped with wiggling fish flakes.

So I had been feeling a little puny and decided on day two to look at my throat in the mirror and saw pure horror. My tonsils were red, swollen and filled with puss. Gross and TMI but it was what it was. Ashley (after looking at it and gagging) and I decided to get me on meds before our Tokyo jaunt the next day. I couldn't go on base since those doctors were for military only and Japan does not have "walk-in" clinics like the US. So the ER was my only option. I was nervous about going to the hospital in a foreign country for many reasons (insurance, cost, fear of deportment, socialist government, language barrier, on and on... all the things an ignorant American can be afraid of). But it turned out the only scary thing in the hospital ER was the condition of my throat. Literally. A nice young lady assistant asked questions with the help of Ashley's Google translate and took down the specifics. When she looked into my mouth she backed up, shook her head and muttered dire words. We waited about ten minutes and then an English speaking male nurse called me into the actual ER room and took my vitals and did a check-up. At first his mask hung around his neck but after he looked into my throat he backed away alarmed and quickly covered his face with the heretofore neglected mask. Using Google translate we discussed possible conditions (he was surprised we knew what Strep was) and decided to do a Strep test. He pulled out a test kit and swabbed me right there in front of him and said it would take 6 minutes. Was he for real?! I have had at least a dozen Strep tests done on myself and the kids in the US and NEVER had one done so quickly and efficiently. Right there. Sure enough he came back 6 minutes later and it was negative. After some discussion he prescribed antibiotics, walked me to the pharmacy down the hall and gave me my pills RIGHT THEN. No waiting. I paid my $300 bill and we left within like 20 minutes start to finish. It was such an efficient process. Ashley and I cackled all the way back about how horrified they were by my throat, how I really just wanted to hang with the locals and the chances of Adam ever letting me leave the country again. I now have a shiny new white Japanese hospital card if I ever need to visit again.

So those were my first couple days in Japan. The next two days will be filled with Ashley and I gallivanting all around Tokyo. Have you ever had to go to the hospital in a foreign country? Spent $50 at a dollar store like a mad person? Ate real Ramen?

10 comments:

Hi! I was just going through your site (haven't been checking blogs for awhile, eep!) when this popped up! That is so much excitement in just 2 days! Isn't Daiso awesome, I was just in one today to buy make-up puffs! I think if I ever went to Japan, I would eat one bowl of ramen a day, that's how much I love it!

Wow!!! How crazy and what are the odds you would have strep. I remember my first time in Guatemala I got food poisoning and wanted to go to the doctor because of how terrible I felt but didn't because I was in a foreign country. Just in two days you went still tried some exotic things. The Basil Seed drink gave me flash backs from NYC pizza place. Thank you sharing can't wait to hear about your next few days.

Oh my goodness! I hope you started feeling better & were able to really enjoy your trip! It always sucks to get sick on vacation, but it's definitely scary to be sick in another country! Thankfully, it all worked out for you! Still sounds like you had a great time & got some great goodies!! :)

Bummer about your throat but at least it was early on and didn't ruin the rest of the trip. I can't believe this trip has come and gone now! I love seeing all the pics and hearing about the things you experienced. The foods have me cringing though, because I'm so picky and boring. LOL

It was a little hitch in the plans for sure. Thank goodness for Paypal's instant money transfers. I was hoping y'all wouldn't mind a week of Japan posts but it was just so much stuff. There are two more coming then done. Kinda. Lol!